Hello Gorgeous Gals,
Last year, I had reviewed the BH Cosmetics Quick Change Brush Cleaner. An excellent tool for eye makeup lovers. Today’s review is on the Sephora version of the same thing – known as Sephora Color Switch. Let us how this one performs:
Product Description:
What it is: A dry, makeup-removing sponge that allows you to switch colors without having to switch brushes.
What it does: Inspired by a common makeup artist dilemma of how remove powder product from brushes without the drying time of a liquid brush cleaner, this sponge offers a dry alternative. The special material allows you to remove pigment from your brushes without brush cleaner formula. Simply swipe the brush over the sponge until pigment is removed and move on to the next color. The sponge is completely reusable and can be cleaned by washing it with warm water and soap or it can be sprayed with disinfecting brush cleaner for a quick cleanse.
Price:
US $18. In terms of price, this one costs about double the price of the BH cosmetics one. The BH cosmetics one costs about $11.
My Experience with Sephora Collection Color Switch By Vera Mona Brush Cleaner:
Packaging: The product comes packaged in an aluminium box – the size of a regular donut. The packaging is light and travel friendly and also keeps the product hygienic. The tin comes packaged in an outer plastic box which has details mentioned on top.
Like I have mentioned, I had reviewed the Bh Cosmetics version of this last year. I did really like it and wanted another one for a separate set of brushes or backup or because I need a hole in my head! Anyway, instead of getting the BH one, I decided to try the Sephora Collection on inside. Why? Because we are makeup addicts always wanting to try something new! Right?
So, what is the product – It is like a sponge which can be used to clean your brushes between applications. So, if you are using a brush for applying a particular shade and want to say blend it with a clean brush or need to switch to another shade but do not have a spare brush – you swirl the existing brush gently on this sponge. The colour pigment comes loose and the brush can be re-used for another shade.
Questions:
One could just wipe the brush on tissue or something and reuse? Can’t they? No. The pigment does not get fully dislodged when wiped on a tissue or even on a micro fibre cloth.
So, what if the pigment is not fully dislodged. Most of it can be. Can’t I use the same brush still? Well, you can, but the existing pigment will cause distortion to the shade you are going in with second. This is likely to result in the application/look becoming muddy since the residual pigment from the first shadow is likely to mix with the fresh eyeshadow.
So, I can use another brush, right? Yes, you can – assuming you have another brush. Everyone may not have a huge collection of brushes because they can be an expensive investment. Also, the bane of our life – even when we have a duplicate brush – it isn’t clean! So, can’t I just spray a brush cleaner and get on with it? Yes, you can. However, there is time involved. Time is required to do the cleaning – even if it is just 1 minute. Post which, you will need anything from 30 seconds to 5 minutes (depending on the spot cleaner being used and the eye brush density) – to get the brush dry again and fit for use. It takes about 5 seconds to twirl your brush on the sponge.
Great! So, can I use this for cleaning my brush and get ready for the next client? No! This is not a brush cleanser or sanitizer. It is just something for removing the pigment from your brush. Before using your brushes on another client, you are still required to spot clean (if not fully clean) and sanitise your brushes. This is not a shortcut for spot cleaning.
What if I make the sponge all dirty? Do I have to throw it out and buy another one? Nope! You can just take out the sponge and flip it out. Now use the other side instead. Once that too becomes dirty, wash it! All you need to do is to remove the sponge, wash it with mild soap, rinse and dry out the sponge. Once dry, pop it back into the tin case and you are good to go.
Is it only to be used for eyeshadow brushes? No! Not only does it work well for eyeshadow brushes but also for blush brush or a highlighting brush. It is big enough for any of your (even larger) brushes to be easily twirled in the sponge. I hate washing my blush brush because it takes time to dry plus most of my blush brushes are natural hair brushes which I do not like subjecting to wash too often.
So, can I use it for switching between powder and liquid products? Yes and no! You can use this to switch from powder to liquid, but not the other way round. It works by removing powder pigment, not for liquid or cream products.
Does it work? Absolutely! It’s quite a saviour when you are in the middle of an application and need the same brush again. Also, when you don’t want to make your entire brush collection dirty while creating a single look! Especially when you are using natural hair brushes which shouldn’t be washed too often.
One thing to note, with most eyeshadows, post using the Sephora Color Switch, the brush would look fairly clean. However, with darker or brighter shades, there were times that the pigment would stain the brush. So, post swirling on the sponge, the brush would still retain the stain, but would still be clear of any pigment. So, when the brush looks stained, do not be bummed thinking that the product doesn’t really work. it works just fine – the pigment dislodges, even though the hair may get stained.
An extremely important point to note – This is not a replacement for:
- Regular cleaning of your brushes with soap.
- Spot cleaning of your brushes with sprays.
- For sanitizing your brushes.
So, who really needs this? I think it would be a welcome addition to anyone’s vanity, but who really really needs it:
- Anyone who loves doing eye makeup and knows the pain of cleaning a plethora of brushes after each look.
- Anyone who doesn’t have a huge collection of brushes – since it allows you to use the same one again and again.
- Makeup artists – to be used between application on the same client -not different clients.
- If you have only one trusted brush of a kind – like your trusted MAC 217!
- For someone who uses natural hair brushes because you do not want to subject them to washing too often.
To sum this up for you:
Pros of Sephora Collection Color Switch By Vera Mona Brush Cleaner:
- Excellent idea – well executed.
- Great product which identifies and fulfils a need in the market.
- Removes pigment/colour residue from powder brushes allowing it to be reused with another shade immediately after.
- Sturdy packaging.
- Easy to maintain.
- Reduces makeup application time.
- Helps manage with lesser number of brushes.
- Easy to use.
Cons of Sephora Collection Color Switch By Vera Mona Brush Cleaner:
- Nothing at all.
IMBB Rating:
A 5/5 product.
The best part is that it is so easy to use and is so low maintenance!
I have read on blogosphere that it can easily be replicated with a hair donut. I cannot comment on that because I haven’t tried it because I do not really own a hair donut. Plus I think the aesthetics and the ease of storing the product also play a role here – the fact that it comes housed in its own aluminium box makes it easy for travel and storage.
Last, a quick comparison with he BH cosmetics product – they work equally well. The Sephora one seems a bit more stiff while the BH cosmetics one feels to be a bit more spongey. That may also be due to the fact that the Sephora one is new while the BH one has gone through a few washes. Irrespective, they both perform equally well – feel free to get whichever one you can easily get your hands on. BH cosmetics one is cheaper than the Sephora one. However, since I got the BH cosmetics one from an Insta-seller and picked this directly from Sephora, they pretty much cost me the same amount!
If you love eye makeup – do yourself a favour – pick one of these up for yourself! Pronto!
Sephora Collection Color Switch By Vera Mona Brush Cleaner
Sephora Collection Teint Infusion Ethereal Natural Finish Foundation
Sephora Collection Almost Nude Colorful 5 Eyeshadow Palette
Sephora Collection 8 HR Mattifying Compact Foundation
Vera Mona Color Switch Solo
